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10th Math Lecture 212

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32 views12 pages

10th Math Lecture 212

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farhanmasih1903
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1 MATH 212

Elementary Number Theory


Lecture 10
2 2.4 The Euclidean Algorithm
The Least Common Multiple
The least common multiple of two nonzero integers a and b, denoted
by lcm(a, b), is the positive integer m satisfying the following:
(a) a | m and b | m.
(b) If a | c and b | c, with c > 0, then m ≤ c.
Remark:
Given nonzero integers a and b, lcm(a, b) always exists and
lcm(a, b) ≤ IabI.
3 Example:
Let us compute lcm(-12, 30).
The positive multiples of -12 are: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60,…,120,…,180,...
The positive multiples of 30 are: 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180,…,240,...
The positive common multiples of -12 and 30 are: 60, 120, 180, …
The least among the positive common multiples of -12 and 30 is 60.
Hence, lcm(-12, 30) = 60.
4 Theorem. For positive integers a and b, gcd(a, b)∙lcm(a, b)= ab
Proof. Let d = gcd(a, b).
𝑎𝑏
We shall prove that 𝑚 = satisfies the conditions of lcm(a, b).
𝑑

Firstly, note that m > 0, since a > 0, b > 0 and d > 0.


Since d=gcd(a, b), so d|a and d|b.
Then a= dr, b= ds for integers r and s.
𝑎𝑏 𝑎(𝑑𝑠) 𝑎𝑏 (𝑑𝑟)𝑏
So, 𝑚 = = = 𝑎𝑠 and 𝑚 = = = 𝑏𝑟
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑 𝑑

Hence, a|m and b|m.


That is, m is a common multiple of a and b.
5 Next, let c be any positive multiple of a and b; say, c= au= bv; u, v ∈ ℤ.
Also d=gcd(a, b) implies that there exist integers x and y satisfying
d = ax + by.
Now consider,

𝑐 𝑐 𝑐𝑑 𝑐(𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦) 𝑎(𝑏𝑣)𝑥 + 𝑏(𝑎𝑢)𝑦


= = = = = 𝑣𝑥 + 𝑢𝑦 ∈ ℤ
𝑚 𝑎𝑏 𝑎𝑏 𝑎𝑏 𝑎𝑏
𝑑
This implies that m | c, and so m ≤ c.
𝑎𝑏 𝑎𝑏
Thus, by definition, 𝑚 = = = 𝑙𝑐𝑚 𝑎, 𝑏
𝑑 gcd(𝑎,𝑏)

Consequently, gcd(a, b)∙lcm(a, b)=a∙b


6 Theorem. For positive integers a and b, gcd(a, b)∙lcm(a, b)= ab
Corollary.
Given positive integers a and b,
lcm(a, b)=ab if and only if gcd(a, b)=1.
Remark.
The lcm of two positive integers a & b may be computed using
𝑎𝑏
𝑙𝑐𝑚 𝑎, 𝑏 =
gcd(𝑎,𝑏)
7 Problems 2.4
Q8. Find lcm(306, 657).
Solution:
𝑎𝑏
We use the relation 𝑙𝑐𝑚 𝑎, 𝑏 = which requires to compute gcd.
gcd(𝑎,𝑏)

We compute gcd(306, 657) by the Euclidean Algorithm as follows:


657 = 2∙306 + 45
306 = 6∙45 + 36
45 = 1∙36 + 9
36 = 4∙9 + 0; So, gcd (306, 657) = 9.
306∙657 306∙657
Hence, 𝑙𝑐𝑚 306, 657 = = = 22338.
gcd(306, 657) 9
8 Problems 2.4
Q9. Prove that the greatest common divisor of two positive
integers always divides their least common multiple.
Solution:
Let d=gcd(a, b) and m=lcm(a, b) where a>0, b>0.
Then by definition of gcd, d|a and d|b.
Also, by definition of lcm, a|m and b|m.
Now d|a and a|m implies d|m
[Or d|b and b|m implies d|m.]
That is gcd(a, b) | lcm(a, b).
9 Q10. Given non-zero positive integers a and b, establish the
following facts concerning lcm(a, b):
a) gcd(a, b) = lcm(a, b) if and only if a = b.
Solution:
Firstly, suppose a = b. Then gcd(a, b) = gcd(a, a) = a
and lcm(a, b) = lcm(a, a) = a∙a/a = a. So, gcd(a, b) = lcm (a, b).
Conversely let gcd(a, b) = lcm (a, b) = d say.
Now d = gcd(a, b) implies d|a and d|b; d = lcm(a, b) implies a|d and b|d.
Hence, d|a and a|d implies d = a, since both are positive.
And, d|b and b|d imples d = b, since both are positive.
Thus, d = a = b.
10 b) If k > 0, then lcm(ka, kb) = k∙lcm(a, b).
Solution:
Suppose k > 0.
(𝑘𝑎)(𝑘𝑏)
Then 𝑙𝑐𝑚 𝑘𝑎, 𝑘𝑏 =
𝑔𝑐𝑑(𝑘𝑎,𝑘𝑏)

(𝑘𝑎)(𝑘𝑏)
=
k∙gcd(𝑎,𝑏)

𝑎𝑏
=𝑘 ∙
gcd 𝑎,𝑏

= 𝑘 ∙ 𝑙𝑐𝑚(𝑎, 𝑏)
11
c) If m is any common multiple of a and b, then lcm(a, b)|m.
Solution:
Let t=lcm(a, b) and m any common multiple of a and b.
By the Division Algorithm, there exist integers “q” and “r” such that
m = qt+r where 0 ≤ r < t. Or r = m – qt.
Since a|m and a|t, so a|(m-qt), i.e., a|r.
Also, b|m and b|t, so b|(m-qt), i.e., b|r.
Thus, r is a common multiple of a and b. But r < t implies that a
common multiple of “a” and “b” is less than their least common
multiple, a situation which is possible only when r = 0.
Consequently, m = qt and so t|m. That is lcm(a, b)|m.
Practice Questions
Problems 2.4
Q 7 – 10.

12 THANK YOU

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